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' (No Model.)

R. J. ARMOUR.

SIGNAL LAMP.

Patented Nov. 15, l1887.

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"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. ARMOUR, or New YORK, N. Y.

SIGNALQLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,169, dated November 15, 1887.

Application filed January 26, 1887. Serial No. 225,611. (No model.)

To all whom tmay concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT J. ARMOUR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

M-y invention relates especially to devices employed upon railway signal lamps or lanterns, and has for its object the provision of mechanism and means to prevent the possibility of misiuterpreting the meaning of a signal displayed at'tlie rear of a train.

To attain the desired end my invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with a lamp or lantern body having openings on two or more sides, of an opaque cap mounted in a swinging frame between two of said openings, said cap being adapted and arranged to fitover either of said openings, all of which will be hereinafter iirst fully described, and then pointed o ut in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a signal-lamp whereon my device is employed. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the lamp, showing the cap in position over one of the lenses; and Fig. 3 shows the cap as swung out midway between tworof the lenses.

Like letters of reference, wherever they 0ccur, indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is tht body 0f the lamp, made in the usual mannerand provided with four lenses, B-three green and 'one ruby.

C is a metal (cap of such asze as to fit over one of the lenses. said cap being provided with spring-catches D, which pass over the lensring, holding the cap firml'y in position.

E is a wire yoke, the ends whereof are pivoted to the body of the lamp between two of the lenvsgspnlhe center of the yoke extends overio'ap G, ,said cap being held thereon by a thimble or keeper, F.

When constructed and arranged as above described, the cap may be easily and quickly swung from one of the lenses to another, the object 0f such anarrangement being to prevent the showing of the wrong light, as, when a train is on a curve and all of thelenses are uncovered, the car takes such a position that the crew of another approaching train will see the light that is thrown across the platform of the car rather than the rear light, which it is intended they shall see, thereby causing either a false stop or an understanding that caution instead of danger, or viceversa, is signaled. By my arrangement these difficulties are Obviated. Only the desired signal will be given. The cap is easily and quickly shifted, and cannot get out of place or lost.

Having now `fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The lcombination, with a lantern-body having openings on two or more sides, of an opaque cap mounted in a swinging frame between two Of said openings, said cap being adapted and arranged to lit over either of said openingssubstantially as shown and described.

2. The combination,with the body of a signal-lantern of the character herein specified, having openings upon different sides thereof provided with lenses, of a swinging yoke, B,- pivoted to the lantern-body, as set forth, and

.bearing near its center an opaque cap adapted and-arranged to be secured in place over either of the openings in the lantern-body upon different sides thereof, substantially as shown and described.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 18th day of December, A. D. 1886.

' ROBERT J. ARMOUR. l Witnesses:

M. O. ARMOUR, RICHARD A. MILLIGAN. 

